Unthinkable Alternate End 5A
by KatherineMP20
Summary: Summary inside! Katie- OC- and James. Mild language, references to adult themes/situations.
1. Chapter 1

*AN* this was sitting on my computer for a few days and when I went to upload the 2nd chapter i realized I hadnt started it yet. My finals are killing me so I ave been writing a lot to take the edge off. I only have one more final tomorrow, math my worst enemy I am so screwed and a paper that halfway through I realized I did wrong but it's too late to change everything so I'm making it twice as long in hopes to get pity points. I have so much to do during the month of may and the weather has gone back to cold and dreary after being so warm. it was warm when I didnt have time to do things and now that I do its cold again, go figure. I need to get my room straightened out so I can put up a desk that I can sit at and type and do homework, I need a work space of my own. sitting in my bed (which is currently difficult due to a tailbone injury) gets uncomfortable and annoying fast.

Here's a quick little summary: Katie and the guys are worked to the bone once James returns from his prison sentence. The network is determined to get as many seasons done as possible and the staff is working overtime in overdrive. Everyone is losing their edge and begins to suffer physically, Katie the most. She finally collapses in pain and can no longer move. after coming so far in therapy and their friendship, James and Katie (OC) have to relive the nightmare all over again. Katie is physically and mentally drained and is kept asleep as she recovers. When she wakes up what are the choices that she will make and will James support them or run away and leave her to fend for herself and suffer in silence?

After a few months hiatus to settle the rape case in private, season 6 of Big Time Rush began filming. No one knew what went on between James and Katie except for Kendall, Logan, Carlos and the staff that worked directly with them. The guys were no longer permitted to be alone with Katie at all, at least for a while, Katie only minded that because she was always alone now. Sure she was uncomfortable with James but she could never talk to Carlos, who she confided in, privately.  
She was traumatized by the whole thing and sought counseling to help return things to normal. James didn't get off Scott free, his remorse sent him into a depression which sent him to a psychiatric hospital. Soon after his release he was put on trial where he spent 30 days in prison, 5 years probation and he had to be listed as a sex offender.  
The network did an amazing job keeping everything under wraps but it was only a matter of time before someone found his information on the sex offenders list. They decided to get as much BTR business done as possible before they were forced to face reporters and hate mail. They spent many months filming several seasons of the show, they were worked hard 4-6 days a week for many hours a day. They had to get their lines, their movements and everything right; there was no room for error or re-dos.  
Time flew by fast though, it was just over 9 months since the incident an they had all been working for about 6 months on the show now. They had gotten 2 and a half seasons filmed, roughly 55 episodes. Everyone was at their limit and burnt out. They were exhausted, mentally and physically. They were slowing down and getting on each other's nerves. Kendall was often agitated at everything, Logan became impatient, Carlos had gotten sick several times and James was losing his edge. Katie was in pretty good health although just as tired, she had a lot of stunts and dancing to do that she just couldn't keep up with. She was out of shape but for what ever reason couldn't get back up to speed as she usually did.  
They were finally given a week off to recuperate after both Katie and Carlos had collapsed on stage; Carlos from exhaustion and Katie from weakness caused by a slight malnutrition. She was still under treatment from a pre existing condition she was diagnosed with a few years back and although it was under control and almost cured, she had started to get sick again a few months ago; she figured it was because of all the work.  
They came back refreshed and full of energy. Both Carlos and Katie were well rested and ready to get back to work. Kendall and Logan were less agitated and James was just ready to get back into the swing of things. They worked for another 3 days and were in the middle of a scene just before an active part. It had been a long day and they were all in the final hours of the day; Katie felt tired and light headed and occasionally felt sick. She wasn't on her toes or at her best as she usually was, it caught everybody's attention when she had to be told her lines and actions repeatedly. She assured everyone she was fine and ust tired and that she could get this and try harder but all her instructions were always going in one ear and out the other and the results wouldn't last long.  
They had another 3 hours to film before calling it a night but with Katie acting out of sorts they all agreed on one more shot and then everyone was free to go. Katie perked up a bit at the news and managed to stay focused long enough to finish the scene they were working on with no problem. They began work on the next scene which had a bit of dialogue; they were in the middle of the conversation between characters when Katie started to feel sick again. She ignored it but soon began to feel hot, nauseous, and light headed. Staff and crew noticed her predicament and told her to stay with them for a little longer. She gave them a thumbs up and continued halfway through the next take before she doubled over and fell to the floor, moaning in pain.  
Everyone was all over her in an instant, concerned for her well being. She was in severe pain, that much they could gather but from what? She was in a fetal position and refused to move and she let out all her pain through moans and screams. No one wasted any time before calling 911; they arrived quickly and checked her out completely before lifting her onto a gurney at the director's orders. By the time the medics had arrived, whatever was ailing Katie had passed but he didn't want to take any chances and sent her to the hospital.  
The guys pleaded to go with her but the director said no; he had sent his assistant with her instead. He still didn't want the guys near her for fear of a repeat of what already happened. He didn't trust any of them now, even though James was sorry and he and Katie were beginning to recover their friendship. They argued for several minutes but they ended up defeated and were dismissed for the day. They each went to their own homes and spent the evening doing their own thing.  
The next morning, Carlos was awoken by his phone ringing. He tossed and turned for a moment after taking a little bit to wake up, and fumbled for his phone.  
"Hello?" he said sleepily.  
"Carlos, it's Dave, meet me at the hospital as soon as you can. Its not an emergency or anything so take your time and don't tell any of the guys; this is just for your ears, understand?"  
"Ok." Carlos said still half out of it. He hung up the phone and rolled back over and dozed off for a few minutes. His phone rung again and jolted him awake as a trigger to remembering his phone call from earlier, although he wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. He grabbed his phone in a hurry and answered it.  
"Carlos where are you?"  
"I'm sorry I didn't leave yet, I fell back asleep. I'll be there as soon as I can."  
"You better, it's important. Take your time, don't rush, no need to get into an accident. It's the last thing we need right now." Dave said. Dave was one of their director's assistants. Melissa was Katie's new agent, she replaced Helen who was verbally abusive towards all the stars. Carlos heard several people in the back ground and new that something was going on, something pretty big. He got dressed, grabbed his keys and headed to the hospital.  
The hospital was relatively busy and Carlos could only find a spot in the back of the lot. He ran to the doors and quickly found the CEO of the network, Nate, waiting for him.  
"Finally. Come on Carlos, everyone is waiting."  
"Nate, what the hell is going on? Where's Katie? Is she alright?"  
"She's fine I suppose, that's why you're here." he said before leading Carlos silently to a meeting room. Several staff members were in the small room, an extra seat at the head of the table stood empty as they waited for the doctor to return.  
"can someone please explain to me why I am here?"  
"The doctor can explain the details but the gist of it is, Katie went into labor last night."  
"Come again?" Carlos said stunned as he craned his neck  
"The pain she was in last night was the beginning of contractions. She was pregnant."  
Katie wasn't a thin girl but she wasn't overly large either. She had gained a little weight over the past few months but it wasn't enough to raise a red flag. She was stressed out and ate a lot of junk food so she figured that was what contributed to it, although when she was with her nutritionist and worked out she never saw any results. But other than that she had no other symptoms so her pregnancy flew under the radar to everyone. It maybe explained why she hadn't been feeling good the past month though.  
Needless to say, Carlos was still stunned at the news and had no idea what to say but he didn't get a chance to think very long before he was bombarded with questions. He was the closest person to Katie so he would what went on in her life but their orders to stay apart when alone severely impacted any information they could have gotten. Carlos knew that before the rape, Katie was still a virgin and planned to be one until she was married. That left James to be the father but Katie's gestation period didn't quite add up; it was about 9 months and 2 ½ weeks so it left them question if there was another possibility.  
The doctor came in shortly after and greeted everyone with smiles.  
"Good morning all, I'm Dr. Yun, I'm Katie's attending doctor. She's doing fine however there were several, non life threatening complications with delivery so she is quite worn out and it's best if she gets a few days rest to heal and regain her strength." she began. "I understand that she is an employee of N studios, and we will do our best to keep all her information secret as well as her residency."  
"What were the complications?"  
"Pretty normal occurrences, some tearing, a few pulled muscles, broken tailbone and severe exhaustion. Nothing out of the ordinary and as I said not life threatening. Is the father here?"  
"No. We know of one person who we thought was the father but when we thought about it, the timing didn't add up."  
"I see, do you know when the event took place?" she asked casually. Everybody paused and stared at each other. Her wording made it sound like she knew about the rape.  
"Uh, about 9 months, 2 ½ weeks ago."  
"Any other possibilities for fathers?  
"None that we know of, that is the only occurrence we know of."  
"Well the only way to tell for certain is a DNA test but this person you are thinking of could be the father, it isn't uncommon for gestations of multiples to take a little longer, it happens with single births sometimes too."  
"Multiples? She had twins?"  
"Triplets." she responded casually. Carlos who was taking a drink of water, did a spit take and began coughing on the water he did swallow. Nate gave him a pat on the back to get it out of him. Carlos soon brushed him off and regained his composure although he had no idea how to react to what he just heard.


	2. Chapter 2

He sat in silence as the rest of the staff talked with the doctor. He pretended that he was listening but his mind was swirling with thoughts and questions. How could this happen? Well…he knew how it happened but still, he just didn't know what he could do or how he was going to tell the others, if he was allowed to.  
The doctor soon left after being paged and gave them her office number in case they had any more questions or information. It would be a few days before anyone could see Katie, but Carlos wanted to see his new adopted nieces and/or nephews. The network staff attempted to persuade him out of seeing them but they couldn't stop him. They made him leave his phone and other gadgets so he couldn't take any pictures. They made him promise to keep it quiet.  
He arrived at the maternity ward and was pointed in the direction of the baby ward. He greeted the nurse and he asked to see the babies.  
"Are you the father?" she asked with a smile  
"Uncle." he corrected.  
"Well congratulations to the proud uncle." she said. "What's the name of the mother?" Carlos told her but she came back after a minute and said the children weren't listed. Katie's name was but her children weren't in the ward. She looked through the hospital records and found they were in the Newborn Intensive care Unit. "Because they were triplets and of Katie's condition they are on the small side. They will be there for a few days before coming here." she said apologetically. Carlos was disheartened but the nurse cheered him up. "Don't worry, they are doing well, this is just regular procedure." she assured. Carlos made his way back to the meeting room to find the staff scattered about the room and just outside the door. Carlos gave a quick explanation and they were off. Carlos went back home just in time to receive several calls from James, Logan and Kendall who were all concerned about Katie; they had been trying to reach him since early this morning, but he had his phone off. Carlos had already rehearsed his excuse and was given instructions on what to say to keep the guys at bay.  
"I was called early this morning by Dave, he told me Katie's condition which isn't good but not life threatening. We can't see her for a few days until she regains some of her strength. All the work we have been doing put a lot of stress on her and that genetic condition she has began to overtake and become immune to the regimen she was on. That's all." he explained. The guys sounded content with the answer but their tones sounded slightly frustrated.  
They were called to the studio the next day on their supposed day off, late in the afternoon. They thought they were there for a dance or vocal rehearsal but instead were intercepted by staff and brought to their table read room where Nate was sitting with a couple nurses.  
"Afternoon, gentlemen. Sorry to call you here on your day off but to put it simply, I need your DNA. All the stars are getting this done, it was suggested to me by a networking friend I have, its quite popular to do with celebrities. It helps in cases where you may be overseas and someone tries to pin blame on you. You know that kind of stuff, these forensic nurse specialists will be taking different samples from you." Nate said stiffly. Kendall and James were confused and about to ask questions but before they could Nate stood and motioned for the nurses to begin and they were taken to their dressing rooms. The nurses took saliva, hair and nail clippings if possible. They finished in about 10 minutes and the guys were dismissed, although confused but shrugged it off and grabbed a bite to eat.  
Nate had collected the DNA of only BTR, he had ordered paternity tests to find out exactly who the father is without asking. With Katie unconscious there was no other way of finding out. He put a rush on the paternity tests and they came back the next morning; James was indeed the father. He had no idea how to tell him this news without upsetting him. He didn't want James to have another mental breakdown. He was deep in thought when his intercom buzzed.  
"Sir, James Diamond is here to speak with you." she said. He was at a loss for words for a moment before he told her to let him in. He came in and shut the door behind him before walking up to Nate's desk with pourpose.  
"I've been doing a lot of thinking and I came to a conclusion about a few things and I want to know the truth." James said flatly, a little demanding.  
"Ok." Nate agreed, nervous about the discussion ahead.  
"I may play dumb on the show but this is real life. I know what I did, I know how I feel and I want to know if the DNA you took from us yesterday was for something else than what you said?" James asked. Nate sighed trying to find the right words to say. "Is Katie pregnant?" James continued. Nate lowered his hands and could only nod. James was calm on the outside but inside his heart began to beat pretty fast and he felt uneasy as he prepared to ask the next question. "And I'm the father?" he asked somewhat as a statement. He knew Katie's lifestyle and he would have been her first. After what he did, no way would she want to be with another guy; there was no way that he wasn't the father but he just wanted some closure.  
"What are you going to do about this, James?"  
"I…I don't know. There's many options, what I want to do, What Katie would want, and then there is doing what is right. Where do I begin?" he began. He paused for a moment as he thought. "I'll be honest, the first thing I thought about was my career, this is the big break I have been hoping for and if this gets out its all over, but then again I suppose it's my fault and then I feel worse about not thinking about Katie at all. What about her career? She'd have to go back to life being the outcast and then if this got out at home she would be disowned and the bullying would just continue. How are either of us supposed to care for a child when we have paparazzi all around us? I don't think she would want to give the child up for adoption, nor would I ask her too. Maybe we could make this work by commuting in private? I just don't know…" James said as he spoke out loud, mostly too himself but yet loud enough for Nate to hear him as James paced the room. "Tell me, if we brought the baby here, would it be possible to get someone to care for it while we are on set?" he asked Nate. Nate nodded in silence allowing James to continue brainstorming. "I see. That helps but the question still remains, can I handle this? I mean I am only 23, Katie is 22. I'd like to think of myself as a mature and professional adult but let's face it I still get a kick out of playing with nerf guns and bouncy balls! How on earth am I supposed to care for a child. The right thing to do is step up and be a man, maybe even marry her and make an honest woman out of her. Damn, there is so much to think about and so little time to prepare. How did I not notice this or even think of it? There is still a part of me that just wants to run away and pretend like this never happened and it sickens me to be honest how could I abandon my best friend when she needs me the most especially with something that is half my responsibility?" James said as he took a breath. He stood in silence for a minute. "When can I see Katie?"  
"In another 2-3 days I suppose. You should check with the hospital first; she's fine, just needs to regain her strength."  
"Anything else I should know?"  
Yes, Kendall and Logan don't know yet and I suggest that you don't tell them just yet. Wait until you figure out what you want to do, then discuss it with Katie. If we can keep this even in a small group, then whatever decisions you guys come too, can be dealt with quickly without too many people finding out."  
"I just really don't think I'm ready for this. I really just want to run away and have no part in it."  
"I cant promise we'll support you in that decision, but I'm not going to tell you what you should do."  
"I know. I hope I can be man enough to make the right decision though. I cant believe I have a child."  
"Actually you have triplets."  
"Triplets?" James repeated loudly as he spun around to face Nate. He saw Nate's face and then everything went black.

_***AN* a twist! I really wasnt planning on James having an internal problem. obviously he would step up to the plate but I thought I would through some real world problems in there and have James thinking about running away and ditching his new family. I might just keep it this way too and have katie fend for herself but who knows. you should be able to find out next chapter, this will be kept short I hope, shouldnt be more than 5 chapters. #5b is next and follows the same plot line but had a different outcome should be just as short and only one chapter of less than 4k words not including any AN's**_


	3. Chapter 3

It took a few minutes before Nate could get James to wake up and when he did, there were several people around him after hearing the commotion. James landed hard but couldn't of hit his head on anything but the floor and it was a brand new plush carpet so it cushioned some of the blow. James moaned when he opened his eyes and turned his from side to side to figure out what happened. He was dazed and confused.  
"You alright, James?"  
"yeah, I think so…" he said slowly but not slurred. "What happened?"  
"You fainted."  
"From what?"  
"You got a bit of surprising news but everything's fine. I think we should get you checked out though, you had a pretty hard landing."  
"No, I'm alright." he said as he tried to get up. He got to his feet with some help from the staff and quickly lost his balance and shuffled backwards into the wall. He tried to shake it off but it made him dizzy and it hurt. "Ow…"  
"How about now?" Nate asked about the hospital again. This time James agreed and his assistant drove him over to the emergency room. It wasn't all that busy so he was seen pretty quickly, he still felt dizzy and he had a dull ache but the doctor checked him over and said he would be fine, there was no sign of a concussion. He sat for a little while in the examination room trying to get the throbbing in his head to stop, the calm hustle of the ER kept him focused on what was going on but at the same time he wasn't listening. When it became busy and several pages made suddenly he listened a little more intently. A car accident case was coming in two of the passengers were beat up pretty good, one of which was a pregnant woman. He sat up straight at the words, ignoring the pain his head as his heart beat faster; he had forgotten up until now that he had just received news that Katie was pregnant and just gave birth to triplets. His mind began swirling again with all the thoughts he had just had at the studio but had to stop as the throbbing became unbearable. He put his hands to his head and laid back with a thud and waited for it to subside.  
Upstairs, Katie was just coming out of her induced sleep and although groggy she was pretty energetic. She couldn't feel any pain at the moment but once the pain meds wore off and she became more alert she would settle back down. She was doing fine thus far and recovering nicely. She had yet to make any indication about what happened or why she was there, she also made no mention of her children. Doctors assumed that she may not have known, especially since because of the urgency of her case, she was knocked out immediately to deliver all three. In order to prevent any relapse or stress, they wanted to wait before making any mention of it.  
Back in the ER, James was still trying to make heads or tails out of everything while trying to ease the pressure in his skull. It had stopped throbbing as hard since he had gotten here and was now more bearable; which was great because he was being discharged. He was led out to the waiting room and dismissed and looked around for Nate's Assistant, Natalie who was his ride home but she was nowhere to be found. He checked outside thinking that maybe she had gotten a phone call but she wasn't there either. He waited a little bit outside, enjoying the fresh air before going back inside to find her at the reception desk. He was behind her so she didn't see him but he picked up on her conversation.  
"That's right, I need to check in on her condition. Last name P-R-Y-Z-S-W-E-I-C."  
"She's in a stable condition according to this, she's recovering nicely and woke up this morning with quite a bit of energy."  
"I want to see her." James said suddenly  
"Oh, James you scared me." Natalie replied in shock  
"I want to see Katie, if she's awake it means she can have visitors right?" James asked  
"Yes she can." the receptionist said  
"But you cant see her, only staff can." Natalie insisted  
"Why cant I? Why am I the one being shafted? I deserve to see her, its my fault she's even here! It's bad enough that I have to deal with everything that's going on and that I don't know what to do or where to turn but how can I get a start anywhere if you guys wont let me try myself first?" James retorted, getting louder.  
"James, you need to calm down. You're causing a scene." Natalie begged  
"Answer me! Why wont you let me see her?" He said stiffly grabbing Natalie's shoulders. She paused and stared at his desperate eyes.  
"It's possible that she doesn't know she was pregnant. She might not know that she just delivered three lives. She was put under quickly because of complications they were having, one of the triplets isn't doing well and if one or none of them make it then maybe it's best she doesn't know. You know as well as everyone else what she has been through. She hasn't asked about them at all, she could possibly resent them for being a product of something that ruin a part of her life. We don't know what's going on in her head." she explained  
"Somehow I can't believe that. Katie is a caring person, she cares for animals like they are her own children and even unknown human children she can mother. I also don't think she is as dumb as you're trying to make her seem to be. I do know what she went through and I do know what she is like. Whether or not you want me to see her, I don't care, I'll search this hospital top to bottom to find her." He argued before leaving them to begin his search.  
He finally found her room with the help of an orderly wondering the hall of the ward she was in. She wasn't even in the maternity ward, she was in a regular patient room. He walked in but saw her asleep, or at least he thought, she turned over to him and he greeted her with a smile. He was out of breath from his long jog trying to find her. He took a moment for himself before he was at her side.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Alright I guess, I'm bored and tired. I've been here for a few days now and feeling better each day." she said a little distant.  
"Good to hear. I'm sorry I couldn't visit sooner."  
"It's ok" she said. She wasn't being pushy or rude but there was an underlying tone of impatience, frustration and distance. James could sense it but didn't know how to ask what was wrong.  
"You know you can tell me anything right?" he asked. She nodded in reply. "Then why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"  
"I just feel like someone isn't telling me something. I don't know what it is that makes me think that though. I've been feeling sick for a while on and off but because of my condition I often feel this way, but the pain I felt at the studio was debilitating, I've never felt anything like that before." she explained. James just wanted to spill everything but he didn't. he still had many questions and wasn't sure how he felt about everything. Before the incident they were all best friends, but even after all the therapy and working together for several months and everything seemed normal, he couldn't help but feel a distance growing between them. He knew that what he did could never be taken back. They wished that everything went away and that everything could back to normal but maybe that was the problem, they were running away and left things unfinished. But how do you start a conversation like that?  
"James?" Katie called to him. He came out of his thoughts and looked to her.  
"Yeah?"  
"How did you get time away from the studio to visit?"  
"Oh I didn't. Nate said no one was supposed to visit while you recuperated for a few days. I'm here because I hit my head."  
"You alright?"  
"I'm good. No concussion, just a headache." he assured. "That's why I am the only one here, and I had to break away and try to find you. I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing and to tell you to get well soon." he smiled. She smiled back at him but they were interrupted by an upset Natalie.  
"Mr. Diamond! It's time to leave." she said impatiently. He got up without question and gave her a pat on the shoulder before heading to the door. He turned and waved before being pushed out by Natalie as she closed the door behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

Katie was discharged 2 days later with strict instructions for rest. She still knew nothing about having children. She had 2 boys and a girl, however the smallest boy weighing in at only 3.9lbs passed away unexpectedly most likely from SIDS. Any news went to Katie's 'guardian', Melissa who was in charge of all things regarding Katie's well being. Even though the cast were in their 20's they still had agents who took over finances, jobs, and life events. Melissa relayed the messages as needed to the network staff who kept it under wraps from the cast.  
Katie spent a week at Kendall's house where she was well cared for by his mom and his brother. The next week she was back at the studio doing light work, non-action scenes. The staff was busy behind the scenes settling Katie's matters. The two children that were left were almost ready to go home and Katie still made no mention of them, it was clear that she did not know. James made no indication of his choice either and time was running out.  
During the week, they were in the middle of the day doing the last scene on one of the shows when they were suddenly dismissed after finishing the take. Katie was called to the office and she was nervous, she was thinking the worst that maybe she was fired or the show was done. She tried to hold in her tears to save them for later.  
"You got here quick! We need to talk and although it's serious it's nothing about work." Nate began. That didn't make Katie any more comfortable. She had heard it all in her life and was always nervous when people wanted to talk to her. It didn't help that several staff members were in the room either. It just brought back a lot of memories of her childhood that she wished she could have forgotten.  
"We need to talk about your recent hospital visit." Nate began  
"I can still work and perform, anything you want. I went months working even though I wasn't feeling good, anything it takes to keep the show going. I promise you I can still work, I'll ignore the pain if it happens again I promise!" Katie began to argue.  
"Calm down Katie, this isn't about that, these things happen. You still have a job. We just wanted to talk about why you were there, we need a decision."  
"A decision?"  
"Yes. You were pregnant. Did you know about this?"  
"…I…I didn't. I felt sick on and off for a while but that's normal for me. In fact nothing was out of the ordinary except for the weight gain but it wasn't much and I was eating a shit ton of junk food to drown in my depression. Does James know?" she said, tears forming at the news  
"Yes. We assumed he was the father because of the incident."  
"He would be my first suspect. I haven't been with anyone else in my life." she continued as tears began to flow down her face although she was silent.  
"What would you like to do?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Are you going to keep them or…?" Melissa asked. Katie just continued to cry, she had no idea what to do, this was the shock of a lifetime and despite being in a room full of people she felt totally alone. Her mother always wanted grandchildren but she was out of wedlock and her father would be disappointed to say the least. Her parents would care for the children but she would be disowned and shunned. She would be forced to quit work in LA and get a 'real job' as her father was always telling her, despite the money she forked over to them every month. She would have to fend for herself in Connecticut. James walked into the room and saw Katie crying. She turned to look at him and after a few seconds he walked back out. Katie was in shock for a moment before returning to tears. It was clear that James wanted nothing to do with her. She had no idea where to turn or what to do. If she put her children up for adoption what would she say to them if they began to look for their biological mother? What would they think of her? She cried harder as these thoughts began to fill her mind and became nearly hysterical. Staff tried numerous things to help calm her down but she just cried until she could cry no more.  
Carlos saw James in the door way of the office but couldn't get his attention in time before he bolted in the other direction. Carlos walked by the door and heard Katie's crying. His heart broke in two; she was crying and James had seen her and knew what the meeting was about. He was disgusted that his so called best friend didn't want to man up and accept his children and even more hurt that he would just abandon Katie like that. He sat outside the door, listening to Katie cry as tears rolled down his cheeks. He thought about so many things he could try to do to help Katie but nothing seemed good enough.  
Carlos was really upset with the events that were happening and didn't realize he was sitting against the door. It opened and he fell inside. He looked up and saw Katie, with swollen red eyes and got up immediately to hug her. She just held him tightly for comfort and he stood there to let her take what she needed. He was given a chair and he sat down in front of her, never letting go and they stayed like that for several minutes.  
Kendall was walking by to ask a question but couldn't find who he was looking for so he was going to the call center that was down the hall. He looked in as he walked by then backed up and did a double take. He saw everybody standing around but Carlos and Katie hugging was what stood out to him most. They broke apart partly when someone greeted Kendall. They both looked at him and Kendall was concerned when he saw she had been crying. She assured him she was fine and that everything worked out for the moment. She still had no idea what to do but didn't want him to worry.  
In an effort to get Kendall to leave, Nate asked Kendall what he wanted. Kendall responded and Nate sent him on his way. Until this whole ordeal was sorted out completely it was best if everything stayed in its small circle that it was in now. They had a little bit more discussion about possible options just to give Katie and idea. She was still to unstable to hear too much or even ask about the twins herself.  
A knock on the door interrupted everyone; they looked at each other before a staff member opened the door to reveal a down trodden looking James. Carlos stood up in a confrontational manner and didn't give James the chance to speak.  
"You've got a lot of nerve, dude. How could you just walk out on years worth of friendship and not give the one person who needs you the light of day? You wronged her and you aren't even going to try to make it better? I used to respect you but you've lost it all, you don't deserve it. You made a mistake and you wont own up to it. You always say you're the mature one and yet you're running away from your problems; turning your back on your friends, the one person who means the world to me. You disgust me."  
"You're right, Carlos. I was just running away, I didn't want to face my problems because I didn't know how to deal with it. I didn't want to step up because I was scared. But when I walked in and saw Katie crying, I knew that I couldn't be scared anymore; I needed to be the strong one and I needed to be the one who would make things right and that's what I am here to do." he said. He turned to Katie and looked into her eyes. "Katie, I know we got off on the wrong foot all those years ago but I'm glad we met each other. It took some time and although we clashed, we made it work and we became fast friends. I know what happened between us can never be erased but I want you to know that although I regret it, I don't see it as a mistake. After that night, I realize that you mean a lot to me and I want to know if you feel the same way." he said as he got down on one knee. "So I want to ask if you can forgive me for all the wrong that I have done and accept me as I am when I ask you to marry me and be my wife." He said opening the small box he pulled out of his pocket.


	5. Chapter 5

The room was silent as the events that were unfolding sunk into everyone's heads. Katie was in shock and didn't know how to respond. Never had she thought that someone would propose to her. She had many thoughts going around in her mind; was this real? Was he pressured into proposing either because of the children he fathered or by staff, or was it even his own pressure to do what was right in hopes of trying to correct his mistake and make Katie's life a little easier?  
The real question was as though it would make her moral life complete, she wasn't sure if it would solve the problem altogether. Did she love James and did he love her? She needed someone who could be there for her at her lowest moments not just someone who would help care for her children. She wanted to know that she was special in someone's eyes, someone who she meant the world to.  
She felt the tears build up and wasted no time in allowing them to fall. She wiped them away before looking down.  
"I…I cant give you an answer right now. I just…I'm sorry." she said as she got up and ran out of the room. James raised a hand to try to stop her but he wasn't fast enough. He just watched as she left and stood up to go after her.  
"James, don't. Give her some time alone for a little bit, this is a shock to all of us and the biggest to her. I know you had her best interests in mind but now is not the time." Nate said. Carlos listened as well even though he really wanted to chase after her.  
Katie went outside but saw Logan skateboarding and didn't want him to see that she had been crying. She could feel her eyes were still swollen although she had stopped crying. She went to her dressing room instead, she had to go past Kendall's but his door was shut so she assumed he wasn't there or too busy to hear her. The doors didn't have locks on them so she just pushed her desk behind the door instead. She then sat in the chair in the corner of her room and continued to cry even harder than she had been.  
Kendall was in his room listening to some music while he worked on his laptop. He was just finishing up and took out his ear buds to hear the noise of Katie dragging furniture; it stopped by the time he got up but he opened the door to check anyway. Logan was just coming down the hall and greeted him.  
"What's up?" Logan asked  
"I was just working on my computer when I heard this noise like something dragging or banging. It was close by." Kendall responded  
"It was probably, Katie. I just saw her when I was outside; she came out and doubled back in" Logan explained.  
"I wonder what she's doing now?" Kendall wondered  
"Maybe she got bored; she finds some pretty weird yet interesting things to do when she's bored." Logan said  
"Katie?" Kendall called knocking in her door. She didn't answer but he knocked again. There was still no answer so he opened the door gently to see if she was asleep or even in the room. "What the…?"  
"What's the matter?" Logan questioned  
"I cant open the door…" Kendall said puzzled. He pushed it harder but it only opened a little bit. He threw his weight against the door and it forced open enough that he could see her desk in front of the door. "Katie, what the heck are you doing? Are you even in there?"  
"Yeah, I'm in here, I'm just rearranging things. Did I bother you?" she asked  
"Not really, I wasn't doing anything important, I was just wondering what the noise was. Do you need help with whatever it is you're doing with this desk?" he asked  
"Nope, I got it covered. Thanks though."  
"Sure." he replied "If you need help just let us know." he shut the door and he and Logan went to hang out for a bit.  
James, Carlos and the rest of the staff were dismissed after a briefing and retreated to their dressing rooms to grab their things and grab a bite to eat. They had no idea where Katie had run off to and hoped she was ok. Before leaving James noticed that Katie's door was shut and usually it was when she was there so he knocked but she didn't respond. He opened the door but stopped in surprise when it wouldn't open any more than 2 inches. He saw her laying on the couch and figured she was sleeping. He looked down and saw her desk in front of the door, he knew she didn't want to be bothered but he couldn't just leave. He pushed the door as hard as he could and managed to move the desk and get the door open.  
"Katie." he said softly. She took a few seconds to respond but she wasn't quite awake so James gave her a little shake. Carlos was standing in the doorway looking out for any staff, they were told not to bother Katie but he wanted to make sure she was ok too.  
Katie woke up and saw James first before giving a little stretch. She had fallen asleep after crying so much but she felt a lot better. She didn't know what to say when she saw James but she didn't have to say anything, her silence spoke volumes.  
"I'm sorry for springing the marriage thing on you but I do hope you realize that I mean it." James said sincerely. Katie was silent for a minute; she looked up and saw Carlos in the door looking down the hall, her silence caught his attention and he looked into the room. She let them both know what she was feeling, how she wasn't sure what his intentions were. She told him her fear that what he said and what he meant were two different things. James understood but still stood by his decision. He was willing to prove it too her anyway possible.  
"Look, no matter what happens, I'll be there. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. I'm not going to let you suffer through life with something that was my fault to begin with." James said.  
"I'll be there for you too, and you know Kendall and Logan will be on our side. We are family and we aren't going to let you do this on your own. We know your strong and you have had to depend on yourself but this is bigger than anything you've tackled before and you need to let us help you." Carlos added. Katie sat in silence as she let the tears begin to fall. Carlos and James wasted no time in comforting her and just holding her tightly as she cried. Kendall and Logan were coming back to their rooms when they heard Katie crying. They rushed in and saw her crying into James and Carlos.  
"Katie!" Kendall called to her.  
"What happened" Logan directed to James and Carlos. They didn't know what to say as an excuse. They were sure if they could tell the others what was going on or if Katie would even want them too. Kendall got impatient with their silence and walked over to Katie; James and Carlos broke apart to let him in. Kendall hugged her and told her everything would be alright.  
"If only he knew" she thought. She wasn't sure how to tell them but she was sure they would realize it eventually when the babies arrived at the studio.  
A few days later Katie, James and Carlos went to see the new additions to their makeshift family. Katie was given the birth and death certificate of the son that didn't make it. The other two were at a healthy 8 lbs and growing strong. They were moved to the nursery where they would stay for a few more days in order to get the best start possible. Because of their birth size, they were going to have a rough start, if they weren't overdue they probably wouldn't have made it. Katie's pregnancy was abnormal as well which contributed to their weight.  
The three of them stood at the window as two nurses brought over the twins wrapped in matching hospital blankets. Their eyes were wide open and they were full of life and energy as they waved their arms in response to the waves from the three on the other side of the window. For some reason, the smiles from the babies made Katie smile and feel so good inside. Better than she has felt in a while, maybe it was because they were her own children but she couldn't be sure.  
"Have you thought of any names yet?" James asked.  
"Well, I didn't really like the name but if I had a brother he was going to be named after my grand father and my father. My dad would have loved having a boy but my parents were unable. So I was going to name my first son after both of them. Plus the family name ends with me so I need to pass the name along. As for the girl I don't know, I always found it easier to pick boy's names." She said.  
"Whatever you pick is fine." James assured. He wanted Katie to pick the names but at the same time he was hoping he could at least suggest something. He wanted to prove to Katie that he meant it when he said he wanted to be part of their lives but he knew it would take some time before Katie broke down her barriers and admit that she needed help so other people could help her.  
Katie and James went back a few days later to finally hold their children and bring them home. Although they hadn't decided on where home was going to be. Katie was living at the studio in her dressing room since she couldn't afford to live elsewhere with her check being sent home to her family. She only stayed at Kendall's house while she recovered but when she was strong enough to leave and Kendall came back from vacation she was ordered back to the studio. James was sitting in one of the many chairs that lined the maternity ward with one of his children, he had no idea who he was handed he just took him or her from the nurse and sat down, rocking the child in his arms. Katie filled out the paperwork and once finished James added his signature at Katie's request. They both left the hospital and made their way to the studio to introduce their new bundles of joy.  
Carlos was waiting for them in the parking lot and when they pulled up he opened the door for Katie and helped James carry the babies. James had picked up fancy car seats that converted into carriers and attached to strollers, he spared no expense. He also bought what he thought was a weeks worth of formula but was really only a few days worth. He knew that babies went through many diapers, which he got several wholesale boxes of, but he didn't figure the food and promptly went and got more formula.  
The three of them went inside where staff members were waiting to meet the new additions. Oohs and ahhs arose from the crowd as they crowded around the smiling bundles of joy. Nate arranged everything for her, her children would be cared for during the long 12-16 hour days while she was shooting and for the first few months a staff member would spend the night so Katie could sleep through the night and be ready to go the next morning. After a few minutes Carlos took the floor.  
"Katie we wanted to show you our support for you in your time of need and to prove that you wont be alone so we have a surprise for you. You have to close your eyes and promise not to peak!"  
"Here use this." Katie heard Alexa, a staff member said. She handed Carlos a bandana and he tied it around her head. Carlos lead her out the door and she could hear several people following. Katie had a pretty good sense of direction, even with her eyes closed so she could tell where they were headed but she didn't know what her surprise was. They made their way down the hall and made a few lefts and rights, which threw Katie off, before stopping. Carlos turned her to face the right way and she heard a door open. Carlos undid the bandana and let it slid down before pulling it away.  
"Ok, open your eyes." he said. She did as she was told.  
"Surprise!" the group yelled behind her but what caught her attention the most was Kendall and Logan standing in the room, which was a nursery fully stocked with cribs, changing table, high chairs, toys and everything else a baby would need.  
"Welcome home." Kendall said giving her the biggest hug he had in him. Logan followed suit and even gave her a kiss on the cheek. They had only learned about the situation a few days ago when James, Carlos and Katie went to the hospital for the first time. They were wandering around the studio when they saw a bunch of staff and movers bringing in many boxes. Nate caught up to them and filled them in before asking them to help out. They readily agreed without hesitation and finished up the new nursery in a few days, just in time for the new arrivals. They were shocked at the news to say the least but they didn't have time to think about it before they were rushing about behind the scenes to create the best present ever. They vowed to help out with the kids and be there for Katie as well, it wasn't an option to say no. She needed them now more than ever and after all she had done for them it was time to repay the favor, with interest.  
Katie stood in the doorway of the nursery as she looked around at everything and then the smiling faces of staff and her friends. She finally realized that she wasn't alone and that she really did have people who cared about her.  
"So what did you name them?" Logan asked. Katie wiped away the tears and took a breath.  
"The boy is named after my grandfather and father; Kenneth Garett; the girl is Jayme Brooke." she said looking at James. James was shocked but he couldn't help but tear up; his daughter was not only named after him but Katie chose his favorite girl name. He couldn't help but give her a hug. He finally broke away but still had a one arm grip on her as he faced the crowd.  
"Well then, now that we have everything all settled, I have one more thing to say. In honor of this new start, I have hired a nurse to care for the children while we celebrate the new arrivals and celebrate the proud parents!" Nate said. The crowed cheered and clapped before making their way to the grand lobby where a feast, DJ and fun activities awaited. They spent the rest of the day and the beginning of the night, having a good time as the friends they used to be. For once, after a long time, everything was alright again.


End file.
